Lead Portfolio Systems Engineer (Secret/SAP)

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a Lead Portfolio Systems Engineer to support Space & Mission Systems in Westminster, CO. We are seeking a project leader with expertise standing up systems engineering departments and implementing Model-Based-Systems-Engineer practices to drive the modernization of processes for a multi-disciplinary organization.

Clearance: Secret clearance with the ability to obtain a Special Access Program (SAP)

Location: Westminster, CO (100% onsite), 9/80 schedule

This job opens for applications on 6/24/2026. Applications for this job will be accepted for at least 30 days from the posting date

Responsibilities:

• Establish, lead, and mature the Systems Engineering (SE) organization, creating the strategy, structure, governance, and operating model required to support multiple programs transitioning from development to production-scale execution.
• Define and institutionalize standardized Systems Engineering processes, templates, work products, and workflows across all phases of the program lifecycle, including Pre-Award, Engineering & Manufacturing Development (EMD), and Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP).
• Serve as the senior Systems Engineering authority responsible for aligning SE activities across the Greek Portfolio, ensuring consistency in technical rigor, resource allocation, priorities, and execution across programs at varying levels of maturity.
• Drive systems-thinking principles throughout the organization by influencing Program Managers, Chief Engineers, functional leaders, and program teams to adopt disciplined Systems Engineering practices and methodologies.
• Establish and govern the program Technical Baseline, ensuring technical requirements, interfaces, architectures, verification artifacts, and design decisions remain synchronized, traceable, and controlled throughout the system lifecycle.
• Lead and administer engineering governance forums, including Engineering Review Boards (ERB) and Configuration Control Boards (CCB), ensuring disciplined change management, configuration control, risk assessment, and technical decision-making.
• Develop and implement requirements management and interface control strategies for complex subsystem environments where critical capabilities and use cases are owned by external host systems.
• Champion the aggressive adoption of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) practices and digital engineering methodologies to improve technical communication, requirements traceability, architecture management, and lifecycle decision-making.
• Provide strategic oversight of integrated technical planning, identifying workload demands, capability gaps, resource requirements, and dependencies that impact program execution, schedule performance, and technical risk.

Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree and 10-15+ years of experience in system engineering, MBSE, and project engineering
• Active Secret clearance with the ability to obtain SAP access
• Expert-level experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) methodologies, tools, and digital engineering practices.
• Experience establishing, leading, and maturing Systems Engineering organizations, processes, and governance frameworks within complex engineering or production environments.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing standardized Systems Engineering processes, templates, technical reviews, and lifecycle workflows across multiple program phases, including Pre-Award, EMD, and LRIP.
• Proven ability to drive Systems Engineering best practices and systems-thinking principles across cross-functional organizations, including influencing Program Managers, Chief Engineers, and senior technical leadership.
• Experience leading Engineering Review Boards (ERB), Configuration Control Boards (CCB), or equivalent technical governance forums.
• Advanced experience using Jama Connect for requirements management, traceability, verification planning, and technical baseline management.
• Experience operating within subsystem environments that require management of complex external interfaces, host-system dependencies, and integration challenges.
• Experience building scalable Systems Engineering capabilities within rapidly growing defense, aerospace, or other highly regulated engineering organizations.

Compensation:

• Total compensation based on experience level - $180,000-$210,000+
• Full Benefits: PTO, Holidays, 401K, Medical Dental Vision coverage, Certification Reimbursement
• Contract stability and mobility through Zachary Piper Solutions

#LI-MK1 #LI-Onsite

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